Tag: Politics

VS. Books is a new imprint from Arsenal Pulp Press that offers a mentorship and publishing opportunity for a young Indigenous writer, a Black writer, or a writer of colour – parameters that are necessary when entering what can sometimes be a hostile environment in the mainstream Canadian literary scene. I had the opportunity to talk with Vivek Shraya — the incredible writer, editor, artist, and teacher behind this imprint — about her work, why she designed this mentorship, and what she hopes it can accomplish. READ MORE

“When starting a play, I ask myself, “What’s the last play in the world I would ever want to write?” Then I force myself to write it. I do this because I’ve found that the best way to make theatre that unsettles and challenges my audience is to do things that make me uncomfortable. I work with stories that I find trite and embarrassing, I keep the development of the text as open and unstable … READ MORE

Identifying as femme has never made navigating my community easy, in spite of this being the only label that has ever felt entirely right. Being a femme has often meant attending queer events only to be read as a tagalong straight friend, having to prove and reassert my queerness, and continually fighting for visibility.
I cannot speak about femme invisibility without addressing the intersections between femmephobia and other oppressions like racism, ableism, transphobia, and fatphobia. As … READ MORE

I feel angry. I feel upset. I feel anxious (actually, I haven’t said that last one to Adli yet!) These are statements I make to Adli when I want to express my emotions. I want him - currently as a cisgender boy - to learn to express his feelings, however artificial it may seem at first.
I also have been trying to talk about oppression. How do I educate and support the learning of my kid … READ MORE

Feminism’s role in the music industry cannot, or at least should not, be discussed without drawing on Beyoncé and her 2014 VMA performance in particular. She included author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s definition of feminism into her song “Flawless.” She had the word “feminist” lit up on stage for crying out loud. Additionally, we can’t look at Beyoncé’s feminism without analyzing the reaction she has inspired among the general public. Moments after her publicly identifying as … READ MORE

From May 16-19, Copenhagen held the largest conference on sexual and reproductive health rights and the advancement of the rights for women and girls in the last decade. Women Deliver gathered 5763 activists, educators, journalists, academics and others to discuss our new development framework (the Sustainable Development Goals) and some of the main issues women and girls are facing today.
Hundreds of speakers - from Hilary Clinton, Muhammad Yunus, Ban-ki Moon to the Crown Princesses of … READ MORE

Content warning: this post discusses sexual violence. This platform intends to create safe spaces, so we want people to engage with the subject matter without unintentionally exposing you to anything that could be triggering or painful.
Rage, anger and indignation have flooded social media in Brazil in the aftermath of one crime that shocked us to the core. 33 men raped a 16-year old in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and shared their crime on social media. … READ MORE

For more than two decades, Inside Out has brought Toronto’s LGBT community together in celebration of the best queer film from Canada and around the world. The Inside Out Film Festival runs from May 26 to June 5. Tickets for all screenings are $11 for students with ID and $10 for youth under 18. Youth under 25 can attend all weekday screenings before 6:00PM for free. Part 2 of our series on Inside Out reviews Southwest of Salem and Oriented. READ MORE

For more than two decades, Inside Out has brought Toronto’s LGBT community together in celebration of the best queer film from Canada and around the world. The Inside Out Film Festival runs from May 26 to June 5. Tickets for all screenings are $11 for students with ID and $10 for youth under 18. Youth under 25 can attend all weekday screenings before 6:00PM for free. Part 1 of our series on Inside Out reviews Hurricane Bianca and Kiki. READ MORE

Right now, Justin Trudeau and the rest of the newly elected Liberal Party are deciding who will be in the Cabinet. He has promised that one half of the members of that Cabinet will be women. Why does that matter? Symbolically, women are half the population and representing them in Parliament sends a message about who is important. Just as significant, the number of women in a group can change what decisions the group makes, and how it makes those decisions. READ MORE

Desi people are those who are a part of the diaspora. The diaspora is made up of South-Asians who are living outside of South-Asia.
I suppose you might have heard about Bobby Jindal, a prominent Republican politician, running for President of the United States in the primaries. Jindal, who is currently serving as governor of Louisiana, is an Indian-American – a Desi.
In his announcement speech, Bobby said, “I’m done with all this talk about hyphenated Americans. … READ MORE